Described by designer Oliver Haslegrave as “Memphis meets Secession”, Bibo Ergo Sum is the coolest new spot in West Hollywood. Literally translated “I drink, therefore I am”, Bibo Ergo Sum opened just last week and is the second collaboration between Arclight Cinemas’ Tait Forman and cocktail specialists, Proprietors (The Walker Inn, Honeycut). The menu is split into three parts, each corresponding to the three acts in every magic trick, and includes both clever takes on the classics and Proprietors’ own spectacular creations. Open 5pm-2am daily, Bibo Ergo Sum is worth the trip just to see stunning Art Deco interior alone, though you’d be a fool to not try out the cocktails too.

Reminiscent of the iconic Rain Room in Barbican’s The Curve gallery, Transcending Boundaries is a collection of remarkable interactive, digital artworks from Tokyo-based, teamLab. Including eight installations across three rooms in London’s Pace Gallery, the artworks surround visitors, transforming and changing shape as guests move through the space. From a virtual waterfall that flows around your feet, to flowers that bloom across visitors’ clothing, pieces are created in real time depending on how you interact with the gallery space. Exploring the role of digital technology in transcending physical and virtual boundaries, Transcending Boundaries runs until March 11th at Pace Gallery.

Located in the central 2nd arrondissement and walking distance from the Louvre, Pompidou Centre and the Seine riverside, Hotel Bachaumont is a suave Art Deco escape that recalls the Roaring Twenties. Surrounded by classic Parisian boulangeries, cafes and bars, while the local area once fell into disrepair, today the cobbled Montorgueil streets exude charm and heritage. Show the rest of this post…

Recently renovated with the stunning Haussmann façade restored to its original glory, the Hotel Bachaumont boasts 49 rooms, four of which are apartment-sized suites, and all decorated in a sleek Art Deco palette. Using pattern and shape to elevate the finish, the level of detail in the rooms and public areas is extraordinary, with herringbone flooring underfoot and glorious tilework in the bathrooms. For a beautiful outdoor breakfast spot, punt for a room with a balcony too.

Found in the lobby of the historic Merchant Square Building in Tribeca, NYC, the Arcade Bakery makes ingenious use of space, filling the picturesque hall with aromas of its fresh pastries, flatbreads and traditional loafs. With tables folding down from the gorgeous wood-panelled alcoves, everything is baked on-site, with patrons invited to peer through large glass windows into the plush, tiled kitchen within. The Arcade Bakery open Monday to Friday, 8am-4pm, with the menu and fresh baked goods changing throughout the day.

Serving a monthly rotating Modern European menu, Väkst is an extraordinary restaurant furnished entirely from upcycled materials. Designing the interior in collaboration with upcycling company, Genbyg, restaurateurs Cofoco used a variety of salvaged wood, reclaimed furniture and life-worn garden pots to create an idyllic space that feels welcoming and alive. Stepping up into the restaurant through a would-be greenhouse, Väkst bases all of its princicple on sustainability and producing as little waste as possible and seats guests everyday, though Sunday is evening-only.

Just one block west from tourist haven Union Square, walking into the plush, foliage-lined foyer of San Francisco’s Hotel G immediately takes you out of the bustle of the city, and into your own, hip, oasis. Show the rest of this post…

Re-opening in May 2014 after a two-year renovation, Hotel G’s Geary Street location is steeped in history. A hotel ever since the building was first constructed in 1909, the new owners renovated each floor under the watchful eye of interior designers Hun Aw Studio, maintaining the original flooring throughout and fully restoring the building’s front façade.

In a style described by the Michelin guide as ‘demolition chic’, Hotel G has a modern and youthful vibe. Complementing the rough textures of original tiling and exposed concrete with mid-century furniture, plush rugs and warm fittings, the hotel splits 153 rooms over 12 floors to become a different sort of option for downtown San Francisco.

Location

Less than a 10-minute walk from downtown Market Street and just one block away from Union Square, Hotel G is perfectly situated for exploring the city.

The immediate surrounding area is known for shopping, with big chain shops like Niketown, Macy’s, the Disney Store just a few minutes walk away, and the Westfield Centre also nearby. Just beyond Market Street are the wonderful museums of the SoMa neighbourhood, including the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, plus SoMa’s burgeoning restaurant scene.

To get further afield is just as easy. From the Powell St. Bart station, you can go north-east to the Ferry Building and into Oakland, while lines south-west go to the hip Castro, Mission and Lower Haight neighbourhoods. You’re also just a few block away from the end of the historic San Francisco cable car, which while touristy is still a must, and makes it easy to reach Fisherman’s Wharf and Lombard Street to the north.

Rooms

The style of the hotel carries through to the rooms. The interior is minimal and can feel a touch sparse if it’s not what you’re used to but the style works. The crisp, white walls, curtains and bathroom are softened by warmer, wooden furniture and slick detailing. The rooms are sleek and everything is functional, there’s no excess or clutter on show, meaning it’s the beds that really dominate.

Big and comfy with excellent pillows, fluffy duvets and luxury linens in every room, Hotel G’s beds boast tall, feature headboards that are the real showpiece; perfect for lounging in bed, day or night. Blackout blinds really do the job too, so you’ll get a great night’s sleep, or well-deserved lie-in.

We stayed in a Greatest King, the largest of the hotel’s five room types. Akin to a suite, it was big and spacious with a sofa, small coffee table and armchair, with enough room to have a couple of friends up while we planned the day. Plus all rooms come with a mini-bar and espresso machine so you’re able to start and end your days right.

The original concrete floor was a touch cold but rugs covered the important floorspace, and it’s a small price to pay for original features. Guests are given hotel slippers for the room too.

With Geery Street down below, we were worried about late night traffic and noisy pedestrians but we had no problem in the room. Unfortunately, however, being surrounded by similarly high rise buildings, there weren’t particularly impressive views, even on the 10th floor.

One great surprise though, the rooms and communal space throughout the hotel are decorated with art from a collaboration with Creativity Explored, a local non-profit arts centre that works with adult artists with developmental disabilities. The pieces are all for sale, with profits going back into the program. It’s a really nice touch and the artwork brings an individual personality to the space.

Bathroom

Our bathroom featured luxurious marble tiling and fittings, with larger rooms boasting a magnificent table sink, and smaller rooms just a freestanding basin. It was more of a classical bathroom but matched the sleek, minimal style of our room. The shower was excellent and very refreshing in the morning, while all rooms come with C.O. Bigelow toiletries.

Amenities

Hotel G has all the amenities you’d expect from a modern city hotel. WiFi is free downstairs and in your room, and if not particularly fast, it’s perfectly acceptable for holiday planning and just about streams Netflix if you need a little SF breather. The gym on the second floor boasts four Technogym machines for a range workouts, plus there’s floor space for yoga or stretching. It’s not a huge gym but perfectly functional and definitely big enough for a hotel of this size.

Hotel G also have a well-equipped conference room available for hire, and as an extra little sweetener, if you book directly, they’ve partnered with a local limo company to pick you up from SFO for free.

Restaurant and bars

Two excellent restaurants and a superb cocktail bar are the Hotel G’s surprise up its sleeve. On the corner of the building, Three 9 Eight is a French-American brasserie menu serving hearty breakfasts from 7am, and classic French sandwiches, steaks, moules frites and charcuterie and cheese boards until late.

On the other side of the hotel foyer, Klyde Cafe and Wine Bar is a little more snacky, serving a small yet composed menu throughout the day alongside an excellent local wine list.

But the Benjamin Cooper Cocktail lounge is the jewel in the crown and has rightly become a local hangout. Styled like a speakeasy, the cocktail list is superb while the bartender also made an excellent rendition of a couple of our favourites. If it’s your thing, Benjamin Cooper also serve local oysters until close.

At the time of reviewing, Hotel G was not offering a breakfast service, but the hotel does now offer packages with breakfast at the Klyde included.

Verdict

A modern and stylish city hotel, Hotel G finds a balance between being a hip yet welcoming stay for leisure travelers, and a more edgy, suave stay for business guests.

Perfectly situated for downtown exploration and the vibrant, traditional neighbourhoods beyond, Hotel G stays true to the history of the building, the attention to detail while renovating each floor and the period features they were able to retain really pays dividends.

But most importantly the Hotel G is an escape. The second you step inside the foyer, the bustle from outside is cut off, and while you can certainly have fun at the excellent restaurants and bar, the rooms and superb beds will ensure you can recoup precious energy, ready to go again the next day.

Part of an on-going series titled Your Colour Perception, visual artist Liz West has created a remarkable immersive light installation for the 2016 Bristol Biennial. Taking over almost an entire floor of The Pithay building, Our Colour is a glorious rainbow tunnel, drenching visitors in colour and light. So vividly recreating the full spectrum of a rainbow, West hopes to question guests; does colour change the way you feel? “I observe that after moving through the space, people often go back to the colour they find most comfortable,” West explains. “They will then stand, sit or lay there for some time to reflect.” Our Colour is part of the 2016 Bristol Biennial and runs until September 10th.

At the corner of Howard and Lafayette, New York’s chic 11 Howard hotel breathes new life into the site of an old Holiday Inn. However, step inside and the building is unrecognisable. Decked out top to toe with swish minimalist furniture – bar the stylish bar which feels every bit like a seductive New York speakeasy – 11 Howard apart feel like a Scandi retreat against the bustle of the New York City streets. Show the rest of this post…

With rooms available from Queens to the hugely spacious Terrace Suite, the mid-century rooms are crisp and yet homely, with the soft furnishings taking an edge of the minimalist aesthetic. “There is something about the honesty of these materials that ultimately, even used, they might look better than new. It’s not all distressed and it’s not all polished — it’s a balance,” explains creative director Anda Andrei. Plus the hotel are promoting a mantra of socially-conscious hospitality, with a portion of every room rate goes towards the Global Poverty Project. Right at the heart of New York’s happening SoHo neighbourhood, 11 Howard is now booking with rooms available from $270.

Teaming up for a Tokyo exclusive, eyewear designers Ayame have collaborated with Freemans Sporting Club for a limited edition of their stylish ‘General’ frames. Available in a gorgeous mottled blue/gold colourways, the sunglasses are hand finished with intricate detailing on the arm hinge and nose bridge. Coming with a custom leather case and signature lens cloth, the General sunglasses are available from Freemans Sporting Club for ¥35,000 (approximately £240).

Two hours out of New York City, the Rivertown Lodge is a 27-room retreat in Hudson, Upstate New York. Stylish for a purpose, the former movie theatre was converted into a motel in 1958, and more recently into the Rivertown by local makers using only authentic materials. Decked out with stunning mid-century furniture, the minimal rooms boast everything you need to get away, and nothing more, with a communal kitchen and retro Papillionaire bicycles also available to guests. Show the rest of this post…

“There’s no stress, you don’t worry about anything — and if you do need anything, we take care of you. It’s a very simple thought, but it’s very rare,” explains co-founder Ray Pirkle. Sounds good to me. Rooms start at $199 for a double, $219 for a queen.

FAN THE FIRE is a digital magazine about lifestyle and creative culture. Launching back in 2005 as a digital publication about Sony’s PSP handheld games console, we’ve grown and evolved now covering the arts and lifestyle, architecture, design and travel.